Which place is cheaper, Ponce or Duck Key?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Duck Key or Ponce?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Duck Key and Ponce can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Duck Key or Ponce?
Duck Key
If you are thirsty for the taste of tropical splendor, Duck Key, Florida will surely quench your desires. Located in Monroe County, Florida, right beside its neighbor Conch Key, Duck Key stands. The community is chock full of everyone's favorite seaside activities, including fishing, jetskiing, scuba diving, canoeing, and kayaking. Though a quaint town, Duck Key attracts tourists from all over due to its quiet beaches and friendly locals. Whether you are looking to meet and greet with the dolphins or simply lie upon the sandy white beaches as the fire orange sun sets before you, Duck Key is truly a sweet and small subtropical diversion.
Ponce
Ponce is on the south coast of Puerto Rico. It's the second largest city on the island and has been around since 1692 when it was originally founded by Ponce de Leon's grandson Juan Ponce de Leon y Loayza. The city has several nicknames, including La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Senorial (The Noble, or Lordly, City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles.
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Duck Key Prices
USA PricesPonce Prices
Puerto Rico Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDuck Key $175Ponce $230
The average daily cost (per person) in Duck Key is $175, while the average daily cost in Ponce is $230. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Duck Key and Ponce in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDuck Key $56Ponce $151
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDuck Key $112Ponce $302
Compare Hotels in Duck Key and Ponce
Looking for a hotel in Duck Key or Ponce? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Duck Key $69Ponce $10
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ponce
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ponce:
- Vega Baja to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $170
- Transfer TO or FROM: Airport,Cruise,Hotel in DORADO or RIO GRANDE: $70
- Transfer SJU Airport to Humacao and Nagüabo. Vice Versa One Way Trip: $185
- San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $46
- San Juan PR Cruise Port to San Juan hotels - Arrival Transfer: $46
- San Juan Departure Share Transfer: $27
- Rio Grande hotel to San Juan Airport (SJU) - Departure Private Transfer: $109
- Private Transfers from SJU Airport to Isla Verde, Condado or San Juan área : $60
- Private Transfer from San Juan City Hotels to Ponce Cruise Port: $79
- Isabela / Hatillo to Aguadilla Airport(BQN) - DepartureTransfer: $44
- Aguadilla Hernandez Airport (BQN) to Isabela - RoundTrip Transfer: $87
Is it cheaper to fly into Duck Key or Ponce?
Prices for flights to both Ponce and Duck Key change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayDuck Key $77Ponce $61
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ponce
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ponce.
- Latin Night with Dinner and Local Music with Transportation: $59
- Puerto Rico Art and Wine Dinner with One Way Transportation: $89
- Private Cooking Class with a Fun Local in San German, Puerto Rico: $96
- Private Half-Day Island Authentic Food Tour : $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Duck Key $30Ponce $56
Tours and Activities in Ponce
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Ponce are as follows:
- Half-Day El Yunque Rainforest Tour from Fajardo: $65
- Scuba Boat Diving Experience in Gilligan's Island at Copamarina: $160
- 2.5-Hour Historical Walking Tour of Old San Juan: $65
- 5 hours Tour in La Parguera Private Boat Charter: $200
- 7 Hours River Tour with Beach and Learn to Make Piña Colada : $195
- 8 Hours Private Tours in Puerto Rico: $150
- Adventure in Cave and the Guayaney Spring: $99
- Afro-Boriken-Loiza: Food, Cave & Art Tour: $140
- Aguadilla 6 Hour Local Tour: $150
- Camuy Caves Experience Tour with transportation: $130
- Cave Hopping Tour: $198
- Caves Coastlines and Beach; Cueva del Indio, Arecibo Adventure : $125
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDuck Key $7.99Ponce $16
Sample the Local Flavors in Ponce
Also in Ponce, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Artisan Puertorrican Winery and Distillery Tour: $50
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Duck Key and Ponce, we can see that Ponce is more expensive. And not only is Duck Key much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Duck Key is in North America and Ponce is in Caribbean Islands, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Duck Key would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Duck Key and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Ponce would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ponce than you might in Duck Key.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Duck Key Expensive? and Is Ponce Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Duck Key or Ponce?
Ponce has a larger population, and is about 310 times larger than the population of Duck Key. When comparing the sizes of Duck Key and Ponce, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Duck Key or Ponce?
Duck Key has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Ponce experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Duck Key or Ponce in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Duck Key as well as Ponce. The warm climate attracts visitors to Ponce throughout the year.
Duck Key is around the same temperature as Ponce in the summer. The daily temperature in Duck Key averages around 84°F (29°C) in July, and Ponce fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Ponce. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Duck Key this time of the year. In the summer, Duck Key often gets more sunshine than Ponce. Duck Key gets 328 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 287 hours of full sun.
Duck Key usually gets less rain in July than Ponce. Duck Key gets 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain, while Ponce receives 95 mm (3.7 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyDuck Key 84°F (29°C)Ponce 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Duck Key or Ponce in the Autumn?
Both Ponce and Duck Key are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Plenty of visitors come to Ponce because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In the autumn, Duck Key is around the same temperature as Ponce. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Duck Key in October average around 80°F (27°C), and Ponce averages at about 28°C (82°F).
It's quite sunny in Ponce. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Duck Key. Duck Key usually receives more sunshine than Ponce during autumn. Duck Key gets 258 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 235 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Ponce. It's quite rainy in Duck Key. In October, Duck Key usually receives around the same amount of rain as Ponce. Duck Key gets 5.1 inches (129 mm) of rain, while Ponce receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberDuck Key 80°F (27°C)Ponce 28°C (82°F)
Should I visit Duck Key or Ponce in the Winter?
Both Ponce and Duck Key during the winter are popular places to visit. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Ponce year-round.
In January, Duck Key is generally cooler than Ponce. Daily temperatures in Duck Key average around 70°F (21°C), and Ponce fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
In Ponce, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Duck Key. In the winter, Duck Key often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Ponce. Duck Key gets 252 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ponce receives 240 hours of full sun.
Duck Key usually gets less rain in January than Ponce. Duck Key gets 1.7 inches (43 mm) of rain, while Ponce receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryDuck Key 70°F (21°C)Ponce 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Duck Key or Ponce in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Duck Key and Ponce. Ponce attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Duck Key is around the same temperature as Ponce in the spring. The daily temperature in Duck Key averages around 77°F (25°C) in April, and Ponce fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ponce this time of the year. In Duck Key, it's very sunny this time of the year. Duck Key usually receives more sunshine than Ponce during spring. Duck Key gets 326 hours of sunny skies, while Ponce receives 272 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Duck Key usually receives less rain than Ponce. Duck Key gets 0.8 inches (21 mm) of rain, while Ponce receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilDuck Key 77°F (25°C)Ponce 26°C (79°F)
Typical Weather for Ponce and Duck Key
| Duck Key | Ponce | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 70°F (21°C) | 1.7 inches (43 mm) | 25°C (77°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Feb | 71°F (21°C) | 1.4 inches (36 mm) | 25°C (77°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) |
| Mar | 74°F (23°C) | 1.7 inches (42 mm) | 26°C (78°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Apr | 77°F (25°C) | 0.8 inches (21 mm) | 26°C (79°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| May | 81°F (27°C) | 2.7 inches (68 mm) | 27°C (81°F) | 120 mm (4.7 in) |
| Jun | 83°F (28°C) | 4.5 inches (114 mm) | 28°C (82°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Jul | 84°F (29°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) | 28°C (83°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Aug | 84°F (29°C) | 3.9 inches (98 mm) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Sep | 83°F (29°C) | 5.7 inches (144 mm) | 28°C (83°F) | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Oct | 80°F (27°C) | 5.1 inches (129 mm) | 28°C (82°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) |
| Nov | 76°F (24°C) | 2 inches (50 mm) | 27°C (80°F) | 132 mm (5.2 in) |
| Dec | 72°F (22°C) | 1.4 inches (35 mm) | 26°C (78°F) | 92 mm (3.6 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.